I am the Didicoi
of the ethereal travels and the itinerant existence
The water simmered under the glistening sun as I passed the narrow river. The weather was quite mild & I deduced that spring, my favorite season must be upon us.
A light cool breeze chaperoned me from the bright sun now clearly visible directly above my head. I walked on the lush green grass on the bank of the river. It was soothing and comforting to my bare feet as they touched on the cool green surface. The usual crisp sounds that emanate from our footwear hitting the city pavements or even the dusty gravel paths by the country side were absent. You know, the ones where we all tread carefully and often become self-conscious.
I was far away from the prying eyes of the society and the only souls that surrounded me were the magnificent flora and fauna of this heavenly sanctum.
I stopped for a moment to take it all in and a weight lifted from the middle of my chest. I looked up to the sky, it was cloudy in patches. The blue & the white met the black of my eyes. My eyes opened up and embraced the vivid view and in that instant everything felt more tangible. My eyes started to water and I joined my hands to say a short prayer of thanks to the entity who is always listening.
I shifted my gaze to where I was headed and all I could see was a heavily forested area. I decided to hold off the moment when I’d have to enter into the thickets of the dark green forest and set up camp next to the river to have some lunch.
It had been a few years since I had left society and the supposedly civilized world of humans. I still go into towns and villages from time to time, make no mistake. I still have friends at different places of this beautiful country but off late the trips have started to diminish and have become far and fewer in between. The tranquility of my current surroundings was what the soul yearned for. Now I was just a visitor to the other world. The one where we live in a fixed place and have a career.
McCandless once said that careers are a 2oth century invention and I have been unable to fault that statement.
My only companion till now has been the backpack I bought when I was a teenager. Aged 14 reacting on some kind of an instinct I walked into a store and spent all my allowance I’d saved for years on a dusty, deep navy colored backpack kept at a shop’s windowsill. I've used it ever since and rest you can probably figure out. Attachment, reliance etc. etc.
After a hearty meal, I found myself staring into the river and reminiscing my early life. There was always a need within to scour the world in order to derive a meaning, a language acknowledged by everyone. Not for once have I regretted my actions. I still remember right after fulfilling the tedious and overbearing duty to educate oneself in various institutions, I packed some essentials and just took off. Much has been appreciated and devoured since then, esp. the unending beauty of the world and the sheer magnitude of its creation. True Freedom from irksome obligations and acceptable norms is what drives me everyday.
‘Ha ha ha, Oh Jane! That was so funny’ Some one said in the vicinity. My eyes flickered open, I must have dozed off. I searched for the person who had disturbed the lingering peace in these surroundings. Two women came into view. They both were a couple of years younger than I was, wearing some kind of traditional clothing which seemed to indicate that they were part of some rural community nearby. They both were carrying a fishing rod and an empty wooden bucket with them.
I sat up straight and looked at them for a second. It had been a while since I had seen any humans. Both of them looked like sisters. They had red hair and one of them who was laughing very hard had my attention. She instantly reminded me of a life that could have been. Her innocent young face showed an expression of utmost delight and an air of being well cared for surrounded her.
Her life so contrasting to mine even though we were similar in age. I had chosen a long, hard and lonely path while she was with her family. It was the kind of happiness that I had forgone. I watched them from the distance as they tried to catch fish in the river. They were so busy laughing and smiling that they hadn't noticed me or my camp.
Instinctively I started to pack and head towards the thick green forest. I wanted to continue on the solitary path that I had chosen.
Now was not the time to rejoin society. If ever such a time could arrive.
As I passed the women, they stared at me and I nodded at them and walked all the more faster. When I reached the beginning of the forest, I turned around for a second and looked at the two women one last time. They had focused their attention back to catching fish. I looked back ahead and walked on, not knowing whether I’d regret it or not…
It doesn't matter whether you lay your foot down on crisp black tarmac or hard sandy earth,
Only thing that matters is you move your feet, always moving forward.
I have walked in mysterious mountains and on the innocent snow,
I have understood the force of the wind and the warmth of the sun,
When the wind roars, It’s only to soften these cores,
The sun smiles so that the river doesn't turn dry,
I have had a happy life,
And have overcome all my strife,
Now with my resources mild,
I now walk INTO THE WILD.
